Holmwood, St Jago lead the way at Central Champs

Holmwood Technical and defending champions Edwin Allen High are the early leaders among the girls while St Jago High are dominating the boys' events at the end of yesterday's first day of action at the 2026 Central Athletics Championships. The meet is being held at GC Foster College.

After 19 of 45 finals, Holmwood sit on 169 points, 12 ahead of defending champions Edwin Allen (157) with Vere Technical third on 88.

St Jago lead the boys with 131 points after 19 of 40 finals. They are followed by Edwin Allen (94) and Clarendon College (61).

Yesterday's action was highlighted by four meet records -- two in the field and two on the track.

The first record came in the Class Two boys' high jump where Nikardo Johnson of St Jago cleared 1.90m for the win. His teammate Cajay Burnett was second with 1.75m, the same height cleared by Ackeem Freeman of Manchester High for third.

Omarion Chanteloupe of Clarendon College produced the second record of the day after winning the Class Three boys' long jump with 6.24m. He finished ahead of Dantuan Goode of St Catherine High, second with 5.75m, the same mark registered by third-place finisher Andrew Warren of Ocho Rios High.

Two records came late in the 400m through Anastasia Hall of Holmwood and Rayvon Black of Clarendon College.

Hall captured the Class Two 400m in 54.43 as Holmwood secured a one-two finish with Maddison Campbell second in 55.62 and Shannaty Burke of Ferncourt third in 56.29.

Competing in the penultimate event of the day, the Class Two 400m, Black raced to victory in 48.62 ahead of Joshua Fenton of Hydel, second in 50.45.

Jhaidon Mickoi Williams of St Jago was a double winner, capturing the Class Two shot put and discus. He first won the shot put with 14.25m, then returned to take the discus with 49.07m, relegating Denbigh High's Carlton White (39.93m) and Marquis Ledgister (37.38m) to second and third, respectively.

On a day when athletes had to battle strong headwinds that affected times in the 100m, Clarendon College's Rhaeim Allyson, running into a negative wind of 4.6 metres per second (mps), captured the Class One 100m in 10.88, getting the better of Edwin Allen's Romario Finnegan (10.98) and Ken Rick Martin (11.09) for second and third.

Edwin Allen had two wins in the 100m. Leading the way in the Class One 100m was Alexxe Henry, who, competing into a negative wind of 4.1 mps, won in 11.77 ahead of teammate Reneica Edwards (12.39) and Holmwood's Rosealee Gallimore (12.47).

They also won the Class Four 100m as Shantwae Green clocked 12.73 into a negative wind of 3.6 mps, ahead of Holmwood's Phillipa Gentles (12.76) and Ferncourt High's Lyena Johnson (12.98).

Rihanna Scott of Ferncourt captured Class Three in 12.12 (-3.6 mps), ahead of Andrianna Pine of Edwin Allen (12.31) and Holmwood's Adalia Simpson (12.33).

Shameka Linton of Foga Road was best in Class Two, winning in 12.25 (-3.7 mps). Shanieka Gibson (12.55) of Holmwood was second and Kamee Teape (12.59) of Edwin Allen was third.

Today's second and final day of action is set to get under way at 8:30 a.m.